Edmund Hillary

Sir Edmund Hillary, a New Zealand mountaineer and explorer, achieved international acclaim for being the first to reach the summit of Mount Everest alongside Tenzing Norgay on May 29, 1953. Born on July 20, 1919, in Auckland, New Zealand, Hillary's early fascination with climbing led him to the Himalayas, where he first scaled significant peaks like the 23,442-foot Mukut Parbat in 1951. His successful ascent of Everest, the highest point on Earth at 29,032 feet, marked a pivotal moment in mountaineering history. In addition to his climbing feats, he led the 1958 Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition, becoming the first to reach the South Pole overland since Scott. Hillary dedicated his later years to humanitarian efforts in Nepal, building schools and hospitals for the Sherpa people. He passed away on January 11, 2008, in Auckland.